Bulge packing of fruit



July 21,-1953 E. MEYER BULGE PACKING OF FRUIT Filed Nov. 9, 1948 INVENTOR ELY MEYE R Patented July 21, 1953 UNITED STATES. PATENT onucs r BULGE rifciixz ormmr i H Ely Meyer, Tampa, Fla., assignor to United Paper Company, Tampa, Fla, a corporation of Delaware 7 Application November 9, 1M8, Serial No. 59,141

This invention relates to the bulge packing'of citrous fruit, such as oranges and. grapefruit. More particularly, it relatesto-the bulge pack- 'ing of such fruit through the bottom of the container. V

For various reasons, it has been customary for many years to bulge pack citrous'fruit. 'Ins'uch packing, which is commonly done by hand, the fruit is heaped above the top of the box sometimes to a height of 3" in the center and a lesser distance at the ends above the sides. When the fruit is individually wrapped ore'ven when only the-top layer is wrapped for display purposes, it

is also customary to place the toplayer-by hand with the wrappermarkings in regular alignment for display purposes after the box is opened. Upon completion of the filling, it is customary to send the box or crate to a lidding'machine where a flexible lid is pressed down over the top of the bulging fruit and nailed'to the end pieces of the box'toclose it. Frequently a metallic tape is passed across the center of the box,

whenever. a box having a center section orpartition is. used and then the ends ofthe tape are nailed tothe sides of the center partition. order to close the open. space between the sides of the box and thetop lid, cardboard extensions have been used. Inmany cases, these extensions are fastened to the box to hold'them in place during packing.

.Even though reasonable care is exercised in packing in. the conventional mannerthat has iust been described; asubstantial amount of .6 Claims. (01. 226-4.?)

sprun 'awayand permits some self-adjustment ofthe pieces of fruit adjacent thereto relative each other.

tion of this specification and the claims appended hereto and from the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating an orange box'having an extended center partition and preformed bulge imposition for bulge packsuitable for use with the box shown inFigu're spoilage occurs, in part at least,because of the a crushing effect that results. from the; lidding operation. Part of suchspoilage may also result from the crushing which may come about if the fruit is not properly settled so that each piece of fruit in the pbox is subjected to. a substantially even pressure at the various points of contact with other pieces of. fruit or with thebox. Moreover, the placing of the cardboard extensionsor ing through thebottom in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a cardboard guard adapted for use with the container'shown in Fi urel;

Figure 3 is aperspectiveview of a standard box which has no center section in position for bottom packing in'accordan'ce with the method oi this invention; r Figure. 4 is a plan view of a-cardboard guard Figures is a perspective view of a box, such astis shown in Figure 3., which has been packed, shipped and opened for display after the remainingguard is removed.

guards and the holding of them in position, un-

less they are affixed to the container, represents a time oonsuming operation, a drawback which is also present in the packing of vfruit substantially entirely. by hand.

In thepresent invention, the spoilage of fruit due to crushing is markedly reduced bybulge packing of the containers through the bottom. Moreover, this invention is easily adaptable'to the various mechanical means for automatically packing fruit. The present invention permits of the rapid placement of cardboard extensions or guards to, protect the iruit; Where/011$ top lid .is

Referring to Figure l of the. drawings, it is a box having a center section or partition I I, sides l2 and ends l3. The interior dimensions of each half of a standard crate or box usually measure 12" x 12" x '12" although it is evident that boxes of different dimensions may be employed. In box Hi, the center section I! extends above the top of the sides lz-about the distance; usually from 1% to 3", which measures the amount of bulge desired in that particulartype of packing. Alicl" I4 is fastened to'the tops of the-ends l3 by staples, nails or metallic tape and may. or may'n'ot be fastened-in a similar fashion at the center thereoitccenter section IL. While the embodiment shown inFigure 1v has an extended center section, the present invention is also applicablcto the use oistandard boxes, the center Inaddition, the top layer of fruit by frictional pressure alone holds the cardboard sections of which do not extend above the top of the sides.

For filling, box III, as illustrated in Figure 1, is

which do not have a center section or in which the center section is not extended, similar provision must be made for the bulging of the top lid as the box is filled with fruit. In thev embodiment shown, there is sufficient strength in box [0 to require support during filling only across the ends l3.

With box ID in position the cardboard guards Hi can be placed. These guards are stamped in the shape, as shown in Figure 2, and are longitudinally scored along a line IT. The upper portion [8 of the guard above the scoring line H is preferably a rectangular fiat piece of cardboard of sufficient dimension to close any gap left between the sides I2 and the bulged lid M of the box H). The lower part IQ of the guard has cutout or notched portions 26 to enable portion 18 to assume the curvature of the lid 14 without any substantial folding or overlapping of any part of the lower portion I9. At one end of lower portion l9 there is an extension 2|. Guard I5 is prepared for use by folding along line ll in the appropriate direction to form a right angle between portions IS-and [9. The direction of folding is made in such a way as to allow extension 2! to be inserted next to the uppermost edge of the sides of center section I i above the top of the sides l2 as shown in Figure 1. With box [0 in position ready for filling, the attendant can easily and readily place four cardboard guards where they will remain without being held until box 10 is filled with fruit.

As filling of box IE! proceeds, preferably automatically, except for the first layer next to' the top lid H! which may be packed by hand for display purposes, the box may be shaken to assist the fruit to move quickly and naturally into that position in which the pressure will be most even on each piece. The filling is completed when the fruit, usually a predetermined number of pieces of a certain size, reaches the level defined by the bottoms of the sides l2 and the ends l3. Normally, there will be no bulge on the bottom side of the box which is closedby a cover of the same material as lid [4 which bottom cover is nailed shut to the bottoms of the end pieces I 3 and possibly also to the bottom of center section I I- In some cases-a much stronger bottom cover may be used and attached to the bottom of box IE! to prevent any bruising or crushing of the fruit through a more fiexible bottom. It is possible to create some bulging on the bottom and to allow therefor, particularly if the fruit is to be shipped with the boxes standing on end. When a thin fiexi'ble bottom is so used, cardboard guards may readily be inserted before the last layer of fruit runs into the box, so that the openings on both sides due to the bulge will be'protected.

Thus, in this invention, the fruit is settled in place, inclusive of the bulge area, quickly and expeditiously and without detrimental crushing. In standard packing situations the bulge con- 4 figuration is forced on the fruit rather than having the fruit conform to or naturally develop the bulge during packing.

In Figure 3 there is illustrated a standard citrous fruit box 22 of the type which has no center section at all. This box comprises sides 23 and ends 24. A regular lid 25 is fastened to the box along the tops of the ends 24. Box 22 is placed between spaced angle bars 26 similar to bars IE or in a cradle or other holder which will permit the fruit to bulge top lid 25 as filling proceeds. Before any fruit is allowed to flow into the box, cardboard extensions or guards 21 are folded along the scored lines 28 and placed in position in the same manner as the guards 16 are placed and for the same purpose, except that guards 2'! do not have any extension 2| thereon. Guards 2? may be made as long as the interior dimension of box 22, although usually a somewhat shorter length is equally satisfactory. With the longer length, the abutment on the inside of the ends 24 of the box with the'ends of the guards 27 will assist in holding guards 21 in place during the commencement of filling. These guards, as are guards iii, are substantially entirely held in position by the frictional pressure of the fruit contained in the respective boxes. The recesses 29 enable the unrecessed side of uards 21 to accommodate the curvature of lid 25 in the same manner as in the case of guards it which serve the same purpose.

Although the present method of bulge packing through the bottom can be done Wholly automatically from automatic counting and filling machines, a substantial amount of such packing has the topmost layer display packed. In such cases, when wrappers are used, an attendant individually places the topmost layer respectively in the boxes l0 and 22 with the wrapper design facing downwardly and the wrapper twist facing upwardly. In addition, the wrappers would be all arranged in the same direction relative the design or any reading matter thereon to enhance their appearance when the box is opened. When so opened by the complete or partial removal of the top lid, such wrapper markings would be uppermost and achieve the intended display effect. In Figure 5 there is illustrated a box of the character shown in Figure 3 which has had the topmost layer, which is, of course, bottommost during the actual packing, hand, packed for display, and which was automatically filled as to the balance of the pieces of fruit therein which are automatically counted. After filling, the bottom cover is placed on the box and fastened to ends 25 with sometimes an intermediate fastening of metallic binding tape. Upon arrival at destination, the lid 25 is opened and the fruit presents the appearance illustrated in Figure 5, after one guard 21 has been removed and the other awaits removal to complete the readying of the box for sale display.

Although I have illustrated and described but two present preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be recognized that changes in the details and arrangements may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a method of bulge packing fruit, the steps comprising, providing a rectilinear container having an open bottom and with its top lid affixed in place and having a preformed bulge therein, said top lid being flexible and so aifixed substantially only acros its ends, supporting said container substantially byits ends only with its bottom uppermost, covering any opening between the sides of said container and said top lid with a generally horizontally extending relatively stiff angle-like fibrous guard, filling said container through the bottom-with'fruit whereby said fruit will hold said fibrous guards in place by frictional pressure between said fruit, said top lid and said container, and affixing a, bottom to said container before shipment of said filled container.

2. In a method of bulge packing fruit, the steps comprising, providing a, standard rectilinear container for citrous fruit, having the bottom thereof open and the top lid thereof fastened thereto substantially only across the ends thereof, said top lid being flexible, supporting said container with said bottom uppermost and substantially only by its ends to permit said top lid to bulge as said container is filled, filling said container with fruit, and affixing a bottom cover to said container before shipping said filled container.

3. In a method of bulge packing fruit, the steps comprising, providing a standard rectilinear container for citrous fruit having the bottom thereof open and the top lid thereof fastened bulging of said top lid, and affixing a bottom cover to said container before shipping said filled container. 7

5. In a method of bulge packing fruit, the steps comprising, providing a rectilinear container having an open bottom and a flexible top lid afiixed' thereto substantially only across its ends to permit the bulging thereof, supporting said container substantially by its ends with said bottom uppermost on spaced supports to permit said top lid to bulge, filling said container with fruit whereby said top lid is caused to bulge under the weight thereof, and afiixing abottom cover to said container before shipment thereof.

thereto substantially only across the ends th'ereof, said top, lid being flexible, supporting said container with said bottom uppermost and substantially only by its ends to permit said top lid to bulge as said container is filled, filling said container with fruit, shaking said container, and affixing a bottom cover to said container before shipping said filled container.

4. In a method of bulge packing fruit, the steps comprising, providing a standard rectilinear container for citrous fruit having an open bottom and having the top lid afiixed thereto onlyat the ends thereof, said top lid being flexible, supporting the ends only of said container with said bottom uppermost to permit said top lid to bulge a said container is filled, placing folded cardboard guards within said container and substantially along the angles formed between the sides and toplid of said container, filling said container with fruit and thereby causing said fruit to bulge said top lid andto hold said guards by frictional pressure against said sides and top lid while covering the openings caused by the 6. In a method of bulge packing fruit, the steps comprising, providing a, rectilinear container open at the bottom and having a flexible top lid affixed thereto, said top lid being so afiixed at the ends thereof to permit the bulging of said top lid to take place, placing said container with said bottom uppermost on spaced supports, placing substantially 1 straight folded cardboard guards along the sides and within saidcontainer in the angles between said sides andy said top lid and overlapping the same,dis-play packing the layer of fruit adjacent said top layer, filling the remainder of said container thereby causing the bulging of saidltop lid, and affixing a bottom cover to said container before the shipment thereof.

I ELY MEYER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS B shop May 28, 1940 

